DETROIT – Victor Martinez was sporting a big red welt on his right calf after Friday’s game, the result of being hit by a pitch from Alex Cobb in the fourth inning.

But the leg is fine. Instead, it’s his ailing right side that not only prevented him from batting in the eighth inning of the Detroit Tigers’ 6-3 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays at Comerica Park but will keep him out of the next two games, in all likelihood.

“The way I’m feeling right now I don’t see it happening,” Martinez said about possibly returning Sunday.

Martinez hopes to return Tuesday against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Comerica Park, after giving his sore right side three days off.

“This is nothing major,” Martinez said. “Need time to get back like I used to. Just a matter of time.”

Martinez missed three games with his injury before returning on Thursday.
He said he reaggravated it on his single up the middle in the sixth inning.

“The chances of him playing (Saturday) are almost nil at this point,” Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said. “Just go day to day after that.”

Martinez was the first of three batters to be hit by pitches (Drew Smyly hit Evan Longoria in the sixth and Cobb hit Ian Kinsler in the sixth, promoting both benches to be warned).

Martinez doesn’t believe he was hit on purpose.

“I don’t think Cobb hit me on purpose,” he said. “It’s a close game (Rays led 2-0), you don’t want to hit somebody. The ball got away from him.”